Shelf edging and the like



Jan. 10, 1939. D. w. KLAU SHELF EDGING AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 19, 195? f/aa ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 10, 19.39

* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shelf edging.

It has heretofore been customary for the housewife to attach to the edges of shelves, a material, known as shelf edging. It has been customary to secure shelf edging to a shelf by means of tacks or thumb tacks driven through the material into the edge of the shelf at spaced intervals. This prac-tice restricts the use of shelf edging to wooden shelves and the like, and precludes its use upon metal, glass, and similar shelves. Moreover tacks and nails tend to disfigure the edges of wooden shelves. While tacks and nails secure the shelf edging adjacent the tack or nail to the edge of the shelf, they do not prevent sections of the shelf edging between the nails or tacks from sagging and separating from the edge of the shelf thus marring the desired decorative effect.

One object of this invention is a shelf edging which can be applied to either wooden, metal, glass, or similar shelves, with equal ease.

Another object is a shelf edging which eliminates the use of tacks and nails'.

Another object is a shelf edging which can be uniformly and continuously secured to the edge of a shelf without bulging or sagging.

Another object is a shelf edging which can be secured in place by merely moistening and pressing.

Other objects will appear from the detailed description which follows.

In the drawing comprising but a single sheet of nine figures numbered Figs. 1 to 9 inclusivey Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a shelf with theshelf edging attached.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the shelf edging of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a front view of a modified form of shelf edging.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a shelf with a shelf-edging or shelving in attached position.

Fig. 'l is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 'I-'I of Fig. 6 looking in the direction of 50 the arrows; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical cross-sectional views of two other modied forms of my invention.

Like reference characters designate corre- 55 the drawing.

sponding parts throughout the several figures of Referring to Figs. lA to 3 a shelf edging may consist of a front ply of moisture-resistant decorative material I0 with or without one or more rear plies of material II. The decorative effect may be enhanced by -suitable designs or patterns appearing upon the face of the material. A binding edge I2 may be folded around the upper edge of the front ply I0 and of the rear ply Il (when used). A strip of tape I3 gummed on one side is placed behind, or back to back with, the binding edge I2 and the ply or plies of decorative material I0 and II. Tape I3 is relatively narrow as compared with the depth of the decorative material I0, but is preferably of equal or greater depth than the rearwardly and downwardly eX- tending ply ofthe binding edge I2. Experience shows that a strip of tape approximately one-half inch in width gives satisfactory results.

The strip of tape is surfaced on its exposed side with a flexible lm of a substantially anhydrous water-soluble adhesive or gum I4.

The one'or more plies I0 and l I of moisture-resistant` material, the binding edge I2, and the gummed strip of tape I3 are secured together, as by a line of stitches I5, passing through the several vlayers or plies of material throughout their respective lengths. The line of stitches I5 is preferablyspaced away from the extreme top edge of the shelf edging, so asnotto interfere with the continuity or efficiency of the seal formed between thegummed strip of tape lI3 and the edge of the shelf I6 when the dry adhesive or gum is moistened with water to render the gum or adhesive tacky enough to'cause the tape I3 to adhere to the edge'of the shelf I6. When the adhesive or gum I4 is moi'stened pressure is applied to the shelf edging to secure it to the edge of shelf I6, and by smoothing the shelfv edging under manual tension with a cloth or a small roller device, the shelf edging may be continuously and uniformly appliedv to the edge of shelf I6, without creasing, bulging or sagging and without the formation of air-pockets. The thread employed for making the line of stitches I5 may if preferred be pre-treated or coated With adhesive or gum similar to the adhesive'or gum used for the gummed coating I4. The tape is preferably coated with the lm of gurn before using, although the gum coating could be applied over the exposed surface of the tape I3 and of the stitches I5 after theshelf edging has been assembled.

I In the modiiicationshown in Figs. 4 and 5 the shelf edging consists of arsingle ply of decorative material 20, and a gummed strip Vof tape 2| secured together by a line of stitches 22 without the use of any binding edge such as binding edge I2 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The exposed surface of the strip of tape 2| is coated with a dry film 23 of a Water-soluble adhesive or gum. The shelf edging is secured to the edge of shelf I 6 in the manner previously described.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate another form of the invention. 'I'he shelving consists of a front ply of material 25 either with or Without one or more rear plies of material 26. The upper edge (or edges) of the said ply or plies of material may be bound with a binding edge 21, similar to the binding edge I2 illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A strip of tape 29 may be placed behind the ply or plies of decorative material 25 and 26, and behind the binding edge 21 (if used), so that a.

substantial portion of the strip of tape 29 extends above the top edge of the decorative material 25 (and 26), to form a flap extending above the top edge of the decorative material. The flap is folded back along the line of the top edge of the plies of decorative material to form a laterally projecting tongue, and one or more plies of decorative material 25, 26, the binding edge 21 (if used), and the strip of tape 29 are all secured together by means of a running line of stitches 28 passing through the several plies of fabric from front to back and back to front again.

With this construction the line of stitches 28 may be formed in close proximity to the running edge (compare Fig. 6 with Fig. 3), because said line of stitches will not affect the seal between the gummed strip of tape 29 and the top of shelf I6 (see Figs. 6 and 7).

The rear or underside of the flap formed by the folded tape 29 is covered with a. dry coating 30 of a water-soluble adhesive or gum. Coating 30 `may extend over the entire surface of the underside of tape 29 (see Fig. 7), although satisfactory results can be obtained when said coating is applied either to the marginal edge of the underside of the laterally projecting tongue (or folded portion) of the strip of tape 29 only, or to that portion of tape 29 which abuts the vertical side wall of shelf I6 only.

Fig. 8 illustrates another form of shelving which may consist of a strip of material foldable at right angles along an indicated line of fold 33, parallelling the running edge of the strip of material, to form a downwardly extending shelf edge cover 3|, and a laterally projecting shelftop cover 32. A dry coating 30 of a water-soluble adhesive or gum, is applied to the reverse side of shelf-edge cover 3|, said coating forming a band extending from the line of fold 33 downwards for a distance substantially equal to the thickness of a shelf. This arrangement allows shelf-top cover 32 to be lifted to Wipe or Wash shelf I6, without removing the shelving from the shelf.

Fig. 9 illustrates another modified form of the invention, wherein instead of doubling over the binding edge 21 (or I 2) in the manner shown, for example, in Figs. 1 and 6; the binding edge 21 is stitched to one or more plies of materials 25 with a line of stitches 28, so that binding edge 21 is capable of being folded at right angles to form a laterally rearwardly projecting tongue or flap 34, having a dry coating 30 of a water-soluble adhesive or gum, applied to the underside of flap 34. In this construction the binding edge 21 is in effect utilized to perform the combined functions of the binding edges I2 and 21 (Figs. 1 and 6), and of the adhesive tapes I3 and 29 (Figs. 2 and '7).

The shelf edging (Figs. 1 to 5), and shelving (Figs. 6 and 7) are merely illustrative of the invention, and are capable of many variations. The article can be applied to either wooden, or to metal, glass, and similar shelves, with equal ease. Any preferred form of fabric may be employed although washable textile fabrics such as oilcloth and the like are to be preferred. 'I'he coatings I4, 23 and 30 are preferably of a water-soluble adhesive or gum, that is to say an adhesive or gum which becomes tacky when moistened.

What is claimed is:

1. As a new article of manufacture a shelf edging comprising a washable strip of flexible decorative material, a relatively narrow strip of flexible binding tape backing up the upper marginal running edge of said material, a dry flexible continuous coating of a water-soluble adhesive substance applied to the outer face of said binding tape, and means for securing said material and said binding tape together including a line of stitches passing through said material and said tape from side to side thereof, and traversing the running marginal edge of said material and said tape in spaced relation to the extreme upper edges thereof.

2. As a new article of manufacture a shelf edging comprising a washable strip of flexible decorative material, a flexible binding strip parallelling the upper edge of said material and foldably enclosing the marginal edge of both faces thereof to form a binding edge therefor, a relatively narrow strip of flexible tape abutting the upper marginal edge of the reverse side of said material, a dry flexible continuous coating of a water-soluble adhesive substance applied to the outer face of said tape, and a line of stitches passing through said material, said binding edge, and said flexible tape, throughout the length thereof, to simultaneously secure said binding.

edge and said flexible tape to said material in a single operation.

3. As a new article of manufacture a shelf edging comprising a washable strip of flexible decorative textile material, a flexible Washable binding strip foldably enclosing the upper marginal edge of said material to form a binding edge therefor, a relatively narrow strip of dry watersoluble self-adherent flexible tape abutting the reverse side of said binding edge and having its dry self-adherent side facing outwards, and a running line of stitches passing through said material, said binding edge, and said flexiblev tape in spaced relation to the top running edge of the reverse side of the shelf edging, to secure said binding edge and said flexible tape to said material and to form a band of adhesive of substantial depth between the running line of stitches Aand the top edge of the self-adherent tape to assure correct adhesion between the top running edge of. said tape and a shelf or like article when.` the self-adherent tape is moistened and afllxed thereto.

4. As a new article of manufacture a shelf edging comprising a strip of flexible washable decorative textile material, a narrow band of washable textile material foldably enclosing the upper marginal edge of said strip to form-a binding edge therefor, a layer of flexible tape abutting the reverse side of said binding edge, a continuous line of stitches passing through said strip both plies of said binding edge and said-flexible tape to secure them all together throughout their entire length, the line of stitches being positioned in parallel spaced relation to the top running edge of the stitched plies to define an unbroken marginal edging between said line of stitches and the topi edge of said tape, and a substantially anhydrous flexible continuous coating of a Water-sob uble gum covering said marginal edging to assure the formation of a continuous seal between the said marginal edging and the edge of a shelf when the gum is moistened and the marginal edging is ainxed to the shelf edge.

5. A new article of manufacture comprising a strip of iiexible washable decorative textile material, a binding edge enfolding the upper marginal edge of said material, a layer of flexible tape abutting the reverse side kof said binding edge and extending above the top of said binding edge to form a flap, a continuous line of stitches passing through said material both plies of said binding edge and said layer of tape to secure them all together throughout their entire length, said flap being folded along the upper edge of the line of stitches to project rearwardly, and a substantially anhydrous exible continuous coating of a Water-soluble gum covering the underside of the rearwardly projecting portion of said flap to assure the formation of a continuous seal between said flap and the top marginal edge of a shelf when the gum is moistened and the rearwardly projecting portion of the flap is afxed to the shelf top.

6. As a new article of manufacture a shelf edging comprising a moisture resistant strip; of iiexible material, a flexible binding edging abutting the upper marginal edge of the face of said strip and extending above the top of said strip to form a iap, a continuous line of stitches passing through said strip and said edging through their entire length to secure them together, and a substantially anhydrous iiexible continuous coating of a Watersolub1e gum covering the reverse side of said flap to assure the formation of a continuous seal between said flap and the marginal edge of tened and said ap is affixed to said shelf edge.

DAVID W. KLAU.

a shelf when the gum is rnois- 20 

